Imagine waking up and not recognizing where you are because of memory loss. Nothing on the walls or the furnishings looks familiar, so you decide you are in the wrong place. You get out of the bedroom, walk out into a different living room, and wonder how you ended up here. For those with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, this can be a scary reality when transitioning to any new home.
At PeachTree Place Assisted Living, near Ogden, Utah, we invite you to decorate your new space with us to help you or your loved one with memory loss feel more at home. Here are a few tips to make your new senior apartment feel more like the home sweet home you want it to be.
- Add Personal Touches
- Get The Right Lights
- Colors Make A Difference
- Patterns Can Be A Problem
- Think Safety From The Ground Up
Make Your Senior Apartment Decor Personal
One of the best ways to make your senior feel at home in their new environment is by making sure to include favorite pictures, art, and pieces of furniture. In addition, include areas for your loved one’s favorite hobbies to help them with their sense of identity and belonging.
Choose Memory-Friendly Lighting
Natural lighting will be the best choice since it promotes well-being and helps with vision. It also can help seniors maintain optimal sleep cycles more than artificial lights. It may also be good to install motion sensor night lights for safety and independence in bedrooms and bathrooms.
Contrast The Color Scheme For Easier Navigation
To help your loved one navigate around more easily from room to room or to different areas of a room, try including contrasting colors in your paint and decor. Choosing a bedspread that contrasts with the paint color of the walls, for example, highlights right where the bed is, whatever the time of day and lighting situation.
Avoid Overloading The Space With Busy Patterns
Since people with memory loss may struggle with spatial awareness, seniors with dementia can be confused by furniture and rugs that are highly patterned. They may view the dark portions as holes and lighter areas as spots that need cleaning, for example.
Steer Clear Of Scatter Rugs
A scatter rug or two can seem like a sweet decorative touch around a senior apartment – until they become tripping hazards or threaten to overturn walkers and wheelchairs. If you decide you need a rug in the space, use low-pile, non-slip mats, especially in areas where there is tile or hardwood floors.
Come Imagine Yourself In Our Senior Apartments
We hope these decorating tips help you help your loved one with memory loss during their next move. If you’re looking for assisted living apartments in Utah specializing in dementia care and Alzheimer’s care, we invite you to schedule a tour with us. Pets are welcome, our staff is attentive, and our private senior apartments can be decorated however you’d like. Contact us at PeachTree Place Assisted Living today.
